The Meaning of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) Statement: “Fear Allah, and He will protect you”

Question:
This questioner, O long may the Shaykh live, says: In the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas regarding the statement “Fear Allah, and He will protect you,” how does a servant protect his Lord?

Answer:
Yes, a servant protects Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) by preserving His obedience, by complying with His commands and avoiding what He has forbidden. This is what it means to protect Allah: to protect His Shari’ah and His obedience by not contradicting the commands of Allah and not leaving what Allah has made obligatory upon him, and by safeguarding his religion. Thus, protecting Allah is safeguarding the religion. Whoever safeguards his religion and safeguards the obedience of Allah, Allah will protect him from all evil and disliked things in this world and the Hereafter, for the reward is of the same kind as the deed. And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: ? Yes.